When you Want to Mobilize the Community…

Make it easy.

If there is one thing I’ve learned from working in PR if you want someone to take up your cause make it simple.

Over the past year, I have seen organizations like the Women’s March, Emily’s List, Black Lives Matter, and Indivisible rise to help others stand up for what they believe in. One common thread between these organizations is that they ALL include toolkits that provide a set of resources that are easy to follow.

The power a unified group has to carry an organizations message cannot be underestimated. If you are looking to motivate others to take up your cause, then these three simple steps will help:

Support your Supporters: Be encouraging. Rather than create roadblocks, create pathways. Make it easy for others to help spread the message.

Resource Page: In the navigation of your website include a “resources” tab. This allows for quick identification of where people need to go to find what they need to take action.

Provide clear Guidelines: Include a downloadable toolkit with explicit instructions on how to start. You can include directions for how to hold events, rally others, provide speaking points and an overview of the issue, easily downloadable forms, posters and images, press release templates, and most importantly what you will need to set up a chapter or take action. Don’t forget to include a style guide and permissions instructions to make it easy for your community to spread the message.

One of my favorite, and probably the simplest, is the Thinking of You toolkit from the greeting card association. On one page they provide their community with posters, flyer’s, banners, messages to share on social media, a press release template, and even an excel sheet with contact information for local journalists.